Costco Is Quietly Removing Tobacco From Most of its Stores by Brian Sozzi at The Street. “Costco revealed on Monday that it started pulling tobacco products from some of its shelves three or four years ago…Currently, 189 of Costco’s 488 locations still sell tobacco products, a spokesman told The Street, adding that the decision to curtail their availability was more about the company’s bottom line than about pushing customers to make healthier choices.” Read more

 

Lowe’s: New CMO Ushers in Marketing Rebrand by Adrianne Pasquarelli at Ad Age. “One commercial features a unicorn lamenting that his “tiny unicorn legs” don’t afford him a better view of the lush green lawn. Another features a preening lawn flamingo. The 1,840-unit Lowe’s is planning a total of six spots in 15-and 30-second variations; more commercials will continue throughout the year.” Read more / See the unicorn spot

 

Wal-Mart Japan to focus on remodeling stores, no plans to exit market by Ritsuko Shimizu at Reuters. “It now has 345 stores in Japan compared with 434 before the closures announced in 2014.” Read more

 

‘Tis the Season…

*Costco co-founder to host Clinton at fundraiser next week by Jim Brunner at Seattle Times. “Hillary Clinton’s caucus-week plans in Washington state include a high-priced fundraiser at the Medina home of Costco co-founder Jeff Brotman and his wife, philanthropist Susan Brotman.” Read more

 

*Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes Is Holding a Hillary Fundraiser With Chelsea Clinton by Noah Kulwin at Recode. “…One person Holmes hasn’t lost? Hillary Clinton, apparently. Next Monday, Holmes is hosting a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign in Palo Alto.” Read more

 

HD Supply Q4 Net Sales +6.8% “HD Supply…today reported Net sales of $7 billion for the full-year fiscal 2015 ended January 31, 2016, an increase of $418 million, or 6.0 percent, as compared to fiscal 2014.” Read the release

 

**A message from PaintPincher – Never Waste Paint Again! The PaintPincher is an ingenious 8-in-1 paint can spatula that recovers paint, stain, adhesives and more from gallon and quart cans, leaving them 99.9% clean. The PaintPincher is great for Pro and DIY painters and can save up to a cup of paint per gallon! See the video | See the sell sheet | Packaging pic | paintpincher.com Retailers request a sample at info@eyeonretail.net

 

Target Canada fallout continues as court lifts ban on co-tenancy rights by Marina Strauss at Globe & Mail. “Ontario Superior Court on Monday agreed to a request by…TJX…and Gap…that a temporary ban on retailers being able to invoke their so-called co-tenancy rights be lifted. Co-tenancy rights allow key retailers to get rent breaks and, in some circumstances, leave a mall or other retail property without penalty, if an “anchor” tenant such as Target closes its store in the premises.” Read more

 

Why You Shouldn’t Trust All Amazon Reviews by Jason Cipriani at Fortune. “Best Reviews looked at 488 different products listed on Amazon with a total of 360,000 user ratings. Out of those reviews, 66.3% (nearly 240,000) were 5-star ratings. It’s an almost unrealistic number for any business, let alone for the hundreds of products monitored in the study.” Read more

 

Happening Today ‘Around Noon’ – Sarah Jessica Parker To Work Shoe Floor At Bloomingdale’s by Rachael Allen at Footwear News. “The rumors are true! I’m clocking in and putting myself to work…at @bloomingdales 59th Street. Come stop by “Shoes on 2″ around noon. I’ll be working the sales floor and helping to answer any and all questions about the @SJPCollection.” Read more

 

Kroger misses out on Fresh Market deal by Steve Watkins at Cincinnati Business Courier. “Fresh Market said Monday morning it has agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Apollo Global Management in a deal valued at nearly $1.4 billion.” Read more

 

Ahold, Delhaize shareholders approve supermarket merger by Toby Sterling & Robert Jan-Bartunek at Reuters. “Some Delhaize shareholders were at times emotional during a question and answer session, lamenting the loss of the supermarket chain, founded by Jules Delhaize in 1867, to foreign control. “The lion is not dead. He’s just making another step in his career,” Chairman of the board Mats Jansson said.” Read more

 

Costco recycling snafu: 1.2 million Kirkland water bottles mislabeled by Catherine Cruz at KITV 4 ABC. “Customers across (Hawaii) are just finding out those bottles are being rejected by recycling centers because they don’t have the proper Hi-5 labels. “I hadn’t heard of it. I’m not sure if I have any that come from Costco,” said Debbie Snell…Neither did another man who had two large garbage bins full of Kirkland bottles. He wasn’t very happy to learn he would have to take them back where he bought them.” Read more

 

Avon to cut 2,500 jobs, shift headquarters to UK via Reuters. Read more

 

Under Armour’s CEO Just Hinted at How His Company Can Grow to $7 Billion by 2018 by Christopher Heine at Ad Week. “Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank recalled crying at a tollbooth about 10 years ago while trying to explain to the attendant that he didn’t have the $2 he needed to drive through…“Our belief is data is the new oil,” Plank said. “I think the companies that will win are using math.” Read more

 

Amazon Wants the Patent for Pay-By-Selfie by Jason Del Rey at Recode. Read more

 

Nordstrom inks deal for NFL linebacker’s grooming line by Lisa Fickenscher at NY Post. “Karlos Dansby of the Cleveland Browns, whose Montez Renault line of shaving cream, moisturizers and scrubs has won over Hollywood’s Ethan Hawke and NBA star Kevin Durant, has signed a deal with Nordstrom to bring the upstart brand to 50 of the chain’s stores across the country.” Read more

 

Target nearly halts store remodeling in 2015 by Nick Halter at Minneapolis/St.Paul Business Journal. “Target remodeled just nine of its stores in 2015, down from 39 remodels the year before and nearly 400 in 2011.” Read more

 

Neiman Marcus exec departs after years of defining the in-store luxury experience by Maria Halkias at Dallas Morning News. “Ignaz Gorischek a 25-year veteran of Neiman Marcus who has been responsible for all facets of the luxury retailer’s in-store experience has a new job. Gorischeck has joined the Dallas office of architect and design firm Callison RTKL.” Read more

 

Tesco Felt Sorry For Shoplifter – So They Offered Him a Job at Time via Fortune. “He was not a regular thief. When we questioned him, he immediately confessed, saying that he stole the fruits and drinks because his son was hungry.” The manager also gave the man some cash to help him take care of his three children.” Read more

 

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